After Idyllwild, they can't turn back now
by damsylash
Summary: This story is an alternate version of events when Callie and Brandon get home from Idyllwild and they're journey to get to a place where they can openly be together. I made some tweeks to my original story, I kept thinking it was missing something and then I realized why I like the show so now it will be told through everyone. I do not own the fosters or the song outlaws.
1. Coming home from Idyllwild

**Author's Note: I realize what my story was missing. It needed everyone's POV. I hope you like my changes.**

 _This story begins right after "Idyllwild" when Brandon and Callie first come back home. It's written through all of the Foster's perspectives._

"I'm just an _Outlaw_

wanted

If you want me"

 **Jude**

After all of the homes Callie and I have gone through to get to this place I'm so ecstatic its here. She is finally going to be adopted too. We are both finally going to belong to this perfect family that we had always wanted. I couldn't wait til she got home from Idyllwild to tell her.

I was waiting in the kitchen when moms, and Rita when Mariana came in followed by Brandon and Callie. She had this look on her face of confusion as she looked around the room.

"Hey"

"Hey Brandon, hey Callie," Rita seemed to know something that she wouldn't share.

"Hey" came Brandon's voice.

Mom was try so hard to keep her composure as she told her. "Robin told me she talked to the girls at Girls United and she… she's recommending your adoption."

I looked at Callie and she looked happy but still so confused. Did she not understand what this means? We were finally going to both be a part of this lucky family.

 **Callie**

Can this really be happening? A part of me wanted to jump up and down for joy, finally I get this dream family that me and Jude had been waiting for, for 7 years. I can't do this though, I can't be getting adopted after what just happened with Brandon last night. We had become one, we had made love he could never be a brother to me after that or I a sister to him after that. I couldn't break his and my heart. He love me and after everything I had put him though before, I can't do this. I can't be apart of this family not in the way I had been hoping to be.

As everyone was rushing up to give me a hug, the words just slipped out before I could catch them. "I can't"

Did I just really say that out loud? _I did._ There they were, the words that could change everything. _Did I really mean them?_ I had to think this over.

When I looked into Stef and Lena's face, there was this look of utter disbelief like they couldn't believe what they had just heard.

"What did you say?" Lena looked at me in disbelief.

 _Could I really say it again?_ I knew I was hurting them but wouldn't I be lying to them everyday I called him my brother. _What kind of person would I be if I did that?_ _If I repeated lied to them and myself everyday…_

"I can't get adopted, I just can't" mustering all of my strength I said. "I don't want to be adopted." The words just hung there in the silence. I knew I didn't mean that last part, I just needed some time to think this over.

I looked up at Brandon just wanting to get some kind of idea of what he was thinking. He just looked just as confused as I was.

I looked around at all of my family and I had to get out of that room so I ran back out of the front door to the porch I needed some air, some clarity, I needed to breath.

How could I do this after everything they did to adopt me, after I fought so hard to be adopted. I loved both of my moms and Mariana, Jesus, and Jude. Jude would never forgive me. How could he after everything we had been though to get here to get to this place. This place where we could finally be a real family again. How would he be able to understand, he will probably just think I'm being selfish again. He will never forgive me. Why couldn't I have just loved Wyatt if I had my life would be a lot simpler but I didn't love Wyatt and after what Brandon and I had just shared I wouldn't love anyone like I do him.

 **Brandon**

I just stood there incomplete shock what had just happened? What did this mean for Callie and what would happen to her? I looked around the room at my family trying to understand what was happening, there were my moms, Mariana and Jude. They all looked so confused, like they couldn't believe it or understand it either. At least I knew why Callie would say that and part of me felt euphoric like that was her own personal declaration of love for me. There was another part though a part that as I looked from face to face of my family I knew understood as heartbreak for what she was giving up to say that. I knew all she had wanted was for a family to call her own and to have that with Jude. Could I really allow her to give that up after everything she had been through to get here? Before I could even go after her though…

I heard Jude's voice say, "I'll go talk to her." He looked caught off guard and it made me feel so guilty, I felt so bad for him. He had been so excited only a moment ago. All his dreams had been there about to come true. He and his sister were going to finally be in a real family together and now that dream was gone. I could see it in his eyes as he walked by me to get to the front door.

"Do you know why Callie wouldn't want to be adopted?"

I looked up at my mom searching trying to see if she knew anything, if Rita had told her or not. I couldn't tell if she had and I didn't want to tell her just in case Callie changed her mind, because I couldn't be the reason she lost her family. I loved her too much.

"Why ask me" I said, testing the waters.

"Oh I don't know maybe because she was with you and Mariana at Idyllwild last night." Okay so she didn't know, at least that was certain.

"Ya I may have been there but I went to straight to bed after I was with Matt." said Mariana.

"How are you guys doing? Did you guys get back together" I honestly didn't care but I desperately needed a change of subject.

"No." She looked so sad as she said that, that moms turned their attention to her.

"What happened, love?"

"Nothing I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay why don't you guys get out here. Momma and I need to talk."

I wanted so bad to go out on the porch with Callie and find out if what I thought was true or not, but Jude was and I didn't want to interrupt. So I just decided on going up stairs and waiting in my room until she could come to me, I was sure she would.

 **Jude**

 _Hadn't we been through enough by now? There can't be anything else stopping her from being adopted, can there?_ I had to talk to her and find out was going on, this just doesn't make any sense.

As I walked out onto to the porch I saw her, she looked so miserable and defeated. _What was going on?_ Her eyes were tearing up as I sat next to her, she had been through so much lately to get adopted, to be in this family with me. I knew she wouldn't just give that up if there wasn't something really wrong.

"Callie?"

"Ya, Jude."She tried to wipe her eyes as I sat next to her.

"What's going on? Why would you say you don't want to be adopted?"

I could she the gears in her head churning, trying to work out some kind of internal battle. It was so hard to see her like this, she had always tried to be the strong one for me but now she just looked so broken.

"Jude, what would you do if Connor had been our foster brother? Would you be able to stop yourself from falling for him?"

I sat there for second blindsided. "What does Connor have to with..." and that's when it clicked, "wait this is about Brandon? You don't want to get adopted because you have feelings for Brandon… so when you told everyone it was over between you two… you were lying?"

"I'm so sorry, I was trying so hard not to feel it… not to feel for him… but I do. I can't help it Jude." I could tell she had been trying so hard not to brake down crying but the tears were streaming down her face.

I felt so betrayed that she could choose Brandon over our dream on one hand, but guilty on the other. Why hadn't she just told me? _Oh, ya that's right because when you had caught her with him, you called her selfish._ When I had called her selfish, I had never really felt falling in love. Could I really expect her to stay, to be adopted with how she feels for Brandon?

 **Lena**

 _Did she really just say that she didn't want to be adopted?_ That one simple statement had felt like glass running through me. _Did she really mean it though?_

I looked over at Stef, she looked like a mixture of pain and confusion, and I just wish I could help her make sense of all of this. I couldn't though of course because Callie had fought so hard and been through so much to be a part of this family. _Why would she say that?_

"What are we going to do? Do you think she really meant that?"

"No, love, I don't think that she meant she didn't want to be adopted… but I do think something else is going on. Did you see the way she looked up at B., before walking out? I think he knows something he's not sharing."

Brandon had seemed a bit nervous to me, but I didn't think he really knew anything. "I doubt it. He just looked as shocked as we all are. I think we need to talk to Callie though. Do you think she's done something again?" _Is she still afraid that we would send her away after everything we did to keep her?_

"I thought I made it clear the last time that she could tell us no matter what... I don't know maybe she still doesn't trust us." When she said that she looked so defeated, I couldn't help thinking maybe she was right. _Callie had been through so much was it really hard to believe that she had a hard time trusting?_

"Maybe but I think we should talk to her and get to the bottom of this. I don't want to lose her."

"I don't either, love, but we can't make her stay..."


	2. Hope

**Rita**

I just sat there dumbfounded not knowing what to do. Stef and Lena were obviously beyond the point of remembering that I was still there. I couldn't blame them either after Callie had said that. I could tell how much they loved her, I would have just told them about Callie and Brandon if I thought it would help but I had this nagging feeling that I shouldn't. _Callie might just change her mind and do the right thing she could still get adopted._ I couldn't blow her chances if she hadn't meant that.

"Stef, Lena I'm going to head out, thanks for having me."

"Bye." was all they could say.

I felt so bad for them, not being able to understand why Callie would do this had to taking its toll on them. I still couldn't tell them though so I hung my head as I walked out of the door.

There she was sitting there where I could talk to her, but there was Jude. _I can't talk to her now._ She looked so miserable herself, with tears just streaming down her face. _I did the right thing, she wants to be adopted. I should just leave her be for right now at least._

 **Callie**

As I sat there with my arm around Jude, Rita walked out. She looked from me to Jude like she wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to say it. She ended up just walking silently to her car.

It wasn't like Rita to be quiet about anything but I had to admit it was nice not to have to go into that discussion right now with her.

"Callie"

"Ya, Jude"

He looked almost just curious now. "What is going to happen now?"

I didn't know how to answer that, I needed to talk with Stef and Lena, then I could figure things out a bit better. _They won't want you now not after you tell them what happened and whats been going on._ There was always the option of going to stay with Robert. _Will he even want you after you put him through everything so he would sign his rights away._ I had to tell him something though…

"I'll most likely go… live with Robert." That sentence was so hard to say, it hurt.

"Do you want to… to live with Robert that is? How will that even work? Would I still see you?"

"I mean I don't know for sure… but I have to figure this stuff out okay… I really am sorry I can't give you a better answer than that but that's I have right now."

I could tell he was trying to find some kind of reassurance that I would be okay, but I didn't know if anything was going to be alright. I couldn't lie to him, not now, this was already to complicated and I was so done with lying.

"I understand Callie, but I think you should talk to moms, you can't shut them out."

I knew he was right but how could I tell them. _They'll never understand. He is suppose to be your brother._ He wasn't though, he wasn't my brother, he was my love.

The front door opened again and this time it was Stef and I couldn't tell how she was feeling she just had this blank expression, like she was trying not to just shut down.

"Callie, Jude, why don't you guys come inside."

"Come on, Jude, it will work itself out, remember your a part of the lucky family now." I whispered in his ear, I was still just trying to protect him. Nothing about right now felt lucky.

 **Stef**

I looked at Callie, my love, my fifth heart, and it felt like it was shattering right before me… but I had to stay strong. _I can't show her how badly this is hurting me, not when she looks the most broken. Why was she doing this?_

"Jude, love why don't you go upstairs." He glanced back at Callie as if having a private telepathic conversation with her. _He must be so worried._ "It okay, love, she will be up in a few." He seemed to understand as he walked up the stairs but I couldn't help but feel bad for him. He had been bursting at the seams to tell Callie that she was finally able to be adopted, we all had fought for the chance to tell her. We thought that this was what she wanted.

Lena was already sitting in the middle of the couch waiting for us. She seemed so calm but I knew this was tearing her apart too. We wanted Callie, she was our daughter, even if not legally yet. _I love her like she is._ _Why did she say that?_ I had thought this was what she wanted too and now nothing was making any sense.

"Callie why don't you take a seat next to momma?"

Her eye's looked so sad as she sat down, she looked so sad I had never seen her this before. Her eyes were red and puffy, tears were still clinging to the side of her face. _I just wish I could hold her and tell her everything will be alright._ I didn't know that though. _What could make her think she couldn't get adopted?_

"Callie what is going on? Did something happen to make you think you couldn't get adopted?"

Lena was trying to put her arm around Callie but she wouldn't let her. I could tell Callie was trying to shut back down, trying to block it all out, the wall she had worked so hard to let go of was coming back. _What could be this bad?_

"I don't want to be adopted… I want to go live with Robert." Even as she said I could tell she didn't mean it. _She had fought so hard to not go with him. He is her birth father though so maybe._

"What's really going on, love? You don't mean that." _Does she?_ "What ever it is that's going on just tell us."

She looked up into my eyes, tears streaming down her face, that wall was shattering again but she took so long to speak.

"I'm in love… with your son."

 _What was she talking about? She couldn't mean Brandon, that's absurd she is his sister._

"You mean like a brother right? You know he is your brother."

 _She couldn't be in love with him. She is too young to even know what that means… 'love' really?_

The tears were rolling down her face but at this moment I couldn't comfort her. That was the worst part too, that I couldn't comfort my daughter. _Not if she's is saying what I think she is saying. I have to stay strong… but how._

"No"

"No, what?"

"No, I don't love him like a brother… I am in love with him."

I could tell she meant it, _or at least she thought she meant it. She can't mean that._ "We did more… than just kiss… once. I have tried so hard… to stop what I feel for him… but I can't anymore."

 _This has to be some kind of sick joke, or nightmare, this can't be happening._ I closed my eyes and opened them hoping to wake up, but I was still there. So was Callie…

"What do you mean, you did more than kiss once?" _Please just say it was more kissing… please._

"We… were together at girls united… we broke up at the funeral… we kissed at the fundraiser… and last night I thought Rita was going to stop the Adoption… I sent her a recording… where I admitted everything… I thought I wasn't getting adopted… I thought you and Lena wouldn't even want me anymore…"

I could see where this was going so I put my hand up to stop her. _I don't want to hear this._

By this time Callie was almost doubled over, I could tell it had taken a lot out of her to say that to us. Lena leaned over and this time Callie let her hold her. _Why did it have to be this. I can't fix this for her. She can't be my daughter and in love with my son, it will never work… but she was._

"Callie, call Robert when you have calmed down."

She looked up at me and nodded, she was trying so hard to force herself to stop crying… I couldn't help wanting to tell her still it was all going to be okay. _It couldn't be._

 **Lena**

As I sat there holding my daughter, I couldn't help wanting this all just to go away. _I should have noticed something. I should have believed Brandon when he told us, he was in love with her. But I didn't and now look how things turned out. Our daughter is so broken and I can't even say a word to help her._

"Lena, I'm going to step out. Meet me out there when you can." I looked up at Stef and knew she was fighting the urge to come over here and hold her too. She was just always stronger than I was.

Callie straightened back up to shut down again and I just felt so bad for her _. She would never do this on purpose. She loves being here otherwise she wouldn't be hurting like this. But she can't be with Brandon. Maybe she should go live with Robert...in my heart I know she will always be my daughter._

Callie got up to go and I just couldn't help myself… "Callie you know we still love you, don't you."

"I love you too… and I am sorry… so sorry. I tried… I really tried."

I could tell now that she had been battling with this for so long. _She should stay, you want her to stay, don't you? How could that work? She can't stay and be with him, and you can have her go back to battling herself. Look at her she can't do that._


	3. Merry-go-round

**Callie**

My fingers felt almost numb as I dialed the numbers that I knew were going to be the beginning of the end of all of this. I felt so much stronger while Brandon was holding me. I desperately needed that for this call. _Robert could always say no._ _What would you do then? You already told Jude, Stef and Lena. There is no turning back now._

 _Ring... Ring..._ "Hello" I choked up as I heard Roberts voice. _What if he says no?_ "Callie, it you?"

I was nervous but I had to push through this. "Hey um… ya… dad its me." My head felt dizzy like I was on this merry-go-round that kept going faster and faster but I couldn't stop now. _Idyllwild had to have been so long ago. There is no way it was just last night. You have to concentrate pull yourself together. You can do this, you have to do this._

"Are you alright?...Whats wrong?" He must of heard something in my voice.

I was doing my best to keep a calm and steady tone, but it must not be working. "Nothing is wrong … exactly. I was just wondering if I could still... if you still wanted me to stay with you?" I knew when I said it that I was lying. _Everything feels wrong, except who's arm are around me._ The day before yesterday I wouldn't have made this call. _You can't explain this over the phone though._

"Of course I still want you to live with me... but I thought you were happy there, that you wanted to be there." _You do love being here. You do still want to be here. Why are you doing this?… Brandon you can't be here and feel the way you do._ He sounded as confused as everyone else. "Are you in trouble or something? You don't have to live with me for me to help you out." _He thinks he can bail you out of everything doesn't he? This isn't like last time though this time your being honest at least… just push through you can do this._ "No its not like that but I can't really explain everything on the phone… I just need to know if I can stay with you, so… can I?"

He paused before answering as if he were contemplating what this could mean it took what seemed like forever before he answered. "Yes, you. Are you sure this is what you want this time though because I really won't be able to give you up again Callie? I can't go through this if you are just going to change your mind again."

The merry-go-round in my head was slowing, I could feel myself getting ready to stop, I looked over at Brandon and I knew without a doubt what my answer was…

"Yes I'm sure, can you just pick me up today?"

Before he could answer, "Why don't I just take you." Brandon whispered in my ear as he softly kissed my cheek. _How can you be sad when he is doing that?_ I couldn't say no to that.

"Never mind… I'll just have Brandon drop me off if that's alright?"

"It's kind of late Cal." I hadn't even noticed what time it was but I couldn't stay another night here. _You can't wake up and look into the faces of the ones you hurt you mean._ So I waited holding my breath until he it.

"But ya… its fine just come on over." He still sounded really confused but I'd explain everything to him later.

"Okay... thanks I'll see you when I get there."

 _That was easier than expected._

 **Brandon**

As I laid with Callie on my bed for a second I couldn't help feeling this sort of calm washing over her. It was as if she had found this bit bit of peace in all of this madness. She had been crying only a moment ago.

As she uncurled her self from my arms and got up in a sweeping motion she looked over at me said."I'm gotta go get my clothes, I'll be right back." _You can't let her do this all on her own, she needs you._

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She looked up at me her face started to look torn as she said "No I think I need to do this by myself. If Mariana is still in our… her room, she will want to talk to me but I'll be right back." She gave me a quick smile to let me know she meant it.

 _She's doing this, really doing this…_ I couldn't believe it and it was so hard to just let her do this part on her own… _Right now she has to stay be strong. You will be there when everything falls apart and she needs you pick up the pieces._

 **Mariana**

 _What is going on? Why haven't moms came up here to talk to me yet?_ I wanted so bad to know what was going on with Callie… I had tried asking Brandon but he wouldn't say a thing. _He seemed so nervous when mom asked him if he knew why Callie didn't want to be adopted… he knew something he had to…_

I was just about to go and bug it out of him when there was Callie… she was standing the doorway. _I can find out from the source…_ I could tell she had been crying, it was all in her eyes… _red, puffy, exhausted looking eyes…_ but there were no more tears on her face. I wanted to rush over to her but she wasn't looking at me she was looking at the room… _Was she saying good-bye? She can't be leaving… she is my sister._ I was bursting to ask but also afraid of the answers. _What if she really is leaving… you don't want her to go._

"Hey, Mariana." she said as she finally looked over at me.

 _You have to know, you have to ask._ "What is going on? Are you leaving?"

"Yes."

"Why?" _This can not be happening, it can't. Does she really want to go?_ _She wants to get adopted doesn't she? She can't really have meant that downstairs, can she?_

"I can't be here… anymore."

"What do you mean? Moms told you, you were getting adopted, I thought that's what you wanted." _That's what she said she wanted but maybe it wasn't maybe she never did want to be in this family. Maybe she just wanted that for Jude. Did she even care about what this was going to do to us?_ When I looked into her eyes I knew she did. _This is killing her she doesn't want to leave she has to._

"What is going on?"

It was like she couldn't even say it, say anything for that matter she just looked defeated.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really, no."

"What is wrong?"

"I love Brandon."

She just let the words hang there as if they were just a simple sentence. _You know what they mean though, don't you. They mean your sister is in love with your brother._ I just couldn't believe it or accept it though. _No she can't be, she just can't. But they did._

"You can't be in love with Brandon… he's our brother."

"I really wish people would stop calling him that."

"It's true, he is our brother. At least he was suppose to be your brother too and I was suppose to be you sister. Do you even care about that?"

"Mariana, of course I care about that. I really wanted to be your sister… I tried… I tried to act like everything was fine but… it just wasn't." and without another word she grabbed her things and left.

 _After everything she had done to be here why… why would she be throwing all of this away?_ But then it hit me, _After everything she had gone through… she wouldn't just throw it all away for nothing. She really loved him. What would you have done in her shoes? Would you have been able to stop yourself from falling for Matt?_ She looked like she was in so much pain. I could only imagine what it was like for her to be doing this.

 **Brandon**

As I was driving, I kept stealing glances at her. _This day had taken the biggest toll on her that I had ever seen, yet she is the most beautiful person still. Turn around she is not okay, can't you see those dried tears, those puffy, red eyes. You need to turn around, you can't let her do this, she will regret it._ But I couldn't bring myself to do it I needed to be with her. _She can finally be mine… then ask her if she is okay._

"Are you okay?" _Please say yes even if you don't mean it… please._

"No, not really." _Damn it._

"Do you want me to turn back? I'm sure moms would understand if you them we would stop." _Please say no… Please._

"No they wouldn't, and I can't go back to pretending that we… that I don't love you. You do love me still don't you?"

 _Was she kidding… she had to be, but she wasn't. She really doesn't understand how I feel. How couldn't she?_ There was no way I could ever stop loving her. _Tell her.. Tell her everything she means to you she needs to hear it._

"Yes, I love you, Callie. Don't you know by now you mean everything to me? All of my music comes from how I feel about you."

She seemed to find some peace like she had found before, she even somewhat seemed to have brighten up. _Could she be happy… no she can't not with everything going on_ she was smiling _. Not a big one but she was… Callie was smiling._ That gave me the relief I needed to get her to Roberts… _She wanted me, she loved me._

As I pulled the car up the drive I saw him sitting outside waiting for her. _You need to get to her before he gets over her here… she was doing this for you… she was doing this because she loves you so much she can't bare to pretend anymore…_ as soon as came to a stop I rushed out to get to her. I had to hold her I just had too. I had to tell her that no matter what I would find a way to make this alright.

 **Reviews are encouraged let me know if I should keep going or quit while I'm ahead.**


	4. Some Clarity

**Robert**

 _Can this really be happening? She wants to live here…_ As I looked into her eyes though… _well maybe not really, but she will. She can't turn back now anyways._

"Hey, Callie. Do you need any help getting your things?" She only had one duffel bag a guitar in her arms, but she just lifted them up as if to say that's all there is… _Sophia had rooms worth of things, how is it that Callie could fit her life into a duffel bag?_ "Are you sure you got everything?"

"Ya I don't really travel well with more than this." I had almost forgotten how Callie's life used to be. Sure enough when I turned around he had already left… _How could you have not known about her? She was in those homes because you weren't there…_ I am now.

"Well we will just go shopping tomorrow and get you some more things." _She wouldn't need to travel well now, she can stay here forever._

"Well I don't really need anything, but thanks anyway." _She was so different from Sophia, she acted like she wanted for nothing… yet she had so little._

"Well alright, I'll show you to your room." _Come on, you want to know why she is doing this don't you? She didn't want to live here before. What had changed?_ I really wanted to know but it was already so late I figured we could talk in the morning.

"Okay."

 **Stef**

In some distant part of my mind I knew it wasn't Brandon's fault but right now I was so mad… my daughter wasn't home. _If he would have just treated her like Mariana, Callie would have still be here. How could he do this? How could be so stupid? Callie what was she doing now? Was she okay?… No you can't think like that. She chose this…_ I still didn't believe they were in love. _How could they be? She is only 17, she doesn't even know what love is._ I sure didn't at that age.

As soon as Brandon walked through the door I couldn't control myself anymore, I just lost it. "What were you thinking? Why would you do this to our family?"

"I love her"

"You think you love her please, you can't even begin to know what love is."

"I know what love is, mom and so does Callie… and now… now you can't do anything to stop us. No one can." He seemed so sure of himself. _He couldn't be._

"If you really loved her Brandon, you would have done what was right. You would have put your feelings aside. You would have made her get adopted."

"How could I have made her get adopted? Should I have twisted her arm or something? No, and I would have put my feelings aside again… What do you think I've been doing for the last seven months… I've tried to put my feelings aside. What do you want me to say?… It didn't work."

 _What could he say?_ _Maybe he had been trying… Maybe not hard_ _enough_ _…_ _Callie was still gone… How can you blame him?_ _He is_ _your_ _son_ … _besides she chose this he didn't._

"Nothing B., just forget it. I just… I just miss her." I really did she was my daughter. _Didn't she know how much you love her? Didn't she call you mom?_ She did love me as a mom. _Maybe she just didn't realize how much she was your daughter?… Maybe she didn't even realize what that truly meant… Otherwise why else would she do this? Why would she chose an infatuation over this family._

 **Jude**

I had been at the top of the stairs when he got home. I felt so bad for both of my moms. I could already tell this was tearing them apart inside. Momma had laid down earlier, I could tell it wasn't to go to sleep she just looked broken. _How could Callie do this? Didn't she care what she was doing to them? She is tearing this family apart… but on the other hand she had made a point. Would you have been able to stop yourself?_

I honestly didn't think I could have. Looking at moms and what it was doing to them still made me mad though. They loved her as their own. How _were they ever going to get through this?_ How was I for that matter? She had been all I had, had for so long and now she wouldn't even be living here anymore.

As I passed by Mariana's room, I saw that she was still up, so I slipped in. Mariana, looked like she had been crying too. I wished I could help her. _What can you do? Callie is gone… there is no way to help any of them._

"Hey Jude"

"Hey"

"Do you miss her"

"Yes"

"Me too"

She looked so torn too, but without another word we just laid down. I couldn't go to sleep though, so I just laid there staring from picture to picture thinking. _Wasn't there anyway to fix this? To bring her home?_ _Would she have to stay there forever?…_

 **Brandon**

I couldn't really blame mom for what she was saying. I had expected her to say at least half of that

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to believe that today happened. It was the best and worst of my life… _How could you let her do this? She doesn't want to be there… How could you have stopped her?… love isn't selfish… you are…Can't you go back to pretending?…No you can't not now that you know she loves you, not after you can see a future with her… What can you do to fix this? What can I do to prove to moms that beyond a doubt what Callie and I have is real?_

Then it hit me, I knew just what I would do to prove to mom that what Callie and I have can't be simply forgotten. That there was no way we could have stopped feeling the way we do for each other. _Then maybe she will be able to come back home… just maybe._


	5. family meeting

**Lena**

I awoke to the sound of Brandon's voice, "Family Meeting." he sounded sort of crazed. _He must have been up all night… What time is it?_

"Brandon its too early, we were all up late last night. Please not right now."

I felt Stef stir beside me, I felt so bad for her, she was trying so hard to get through this too. She had cried most of the night, when she had came back to bed, which was something I had never seen her do. _Callie is a part of her heart… just wish she wasn't dead set on the thought they were not feeling the way… it was kind of obvious they were… Callie wouldn't have said anything if it was only a crush.. she wouldn't do this to the family if she didn't have to._

"Ya, B. too early, come back later."

"No, not later… now… come on it's important."

He really did seem to be in a rush for us to go… _Maybe something else has happened… hadn't we been though enough… we lost our daughter._

"Okay, Okay we'll be out in a minute, just close the door." When he did I, I turned to Stef. "Come on babe, we gotta get up. It sounds serious, lets go"

"Okay I'm up, whats wrong?"

"I don't know family meeting, I guess we will find out."

 **Jude**

I awoke with a start, hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep, but I had in Callie's bed. I looked around the room trying to figure out what I had even woken up too, and there he was, Brandon. _He is the reason she isn't here… even if it were true that they were in love, why did he have to their brother._

"What do you want?"

"Oh hey Jude I didn't even notice you were in here… family meeting. Can you help me wake Mariana… she really does sleep like the dead."

I got out of bed and helped him pull her out of bed. She rolled on to the floor before she even open her eyes… _Now that is sleeping like the dead._

"What,.. what do you want I was sleeping, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Family Meeting."

"What time is it?"

"About 7 in the morning… come on its time to get up… so get up" He was acting really nervous or frantic and it kind of freaked me out. _Why does he want a family meeting so bad right now… oh god he's not going to marry her or something stupid like that…_

He was already rushing out of the room to head down stairs before I could ask _or in case he was_ , talk him out of it.

 **Mariana**

 _What could he want a family meeting so bad. He was part of the reason our family is broken…_

Jude looked up at me and seemed just as confused as I was. _He looked so sad last night when he had climbed into Callie's bed…_ I felt so bad for him.

"You don't think he's going to say they want to get married or something do you?"

 _I didn't til now… No that would be absurd they are way too young…_ _no matter how the feel about each other._

"No Jude there is no way." _but maybe…_ and it was like Jude read my thoughts we both turned and raced down the steps.

 **Brandon**

 _You know she doesn't want to live with Robert… Sure she wants to be with you… she loves you but she wants to live here… she will be miserable there… you have to show them… show them all how you feel… she did._ I hope this works

I was waiting in the living room when I saw Mariana and Jude rushing down the stairs… _you must have sounded so freaked… they are probably rushing to make sure someone hadn't died or something…_

"Look no one died, you don't have to freak I'm sorry if I made you guys think that." _But they didn't think that…_

In unison they both asked, "Are you asking Callie to marry you?"

I just smiled.

 **Stef**

 _This had better be good news…_ I couldn't take anymore bad news at this point. _He couldn't have gotten her pregnant… or at least they wouldn't know yet… Maybe Callie lied maybe they had done it more than once… She better not be pregnant._

When Lena and I reached the bottom of the stairs, Mariana and Jude were already down there. _Did they know what was going on?_ I kept looking from face to face trying to figure out if they did, but they both just looked as curious as I was.

"What is going on, B.?"

"I just need you guys to sit down… hear me out real quick."

"If this is about Callie, B. just don't tell me you got here pregnant or something please, I can't handle any bad news."

"She is not pregnant but this is about Callie… can you please hear me out."

I didn't really want to hear anything about her at the moment. _She just broke your heart, you can't hear anymore… your not up for it… just go back to bed you need the sleep._

"Look B…"

"I think we should hear him out… it will be okay… Well not really okay."

"Alright… fine… family meeting here we go." I knew I sounded exasperated but I was exhausted. I just needed sleep.

 **Brandon**

I finally had all all of their attention… _Please let this work…_ I sat down and was about to start when…

"B. I thought you need to talk, I thought this was about Callie, not a… piano rehearsal."

"Just wait… give me a sec." _1… 2… 3… Please let them understand._

"I took you at your word, when you said you would steal my heart. Yeah this might sound absurd, but would you be my thief, take all of me, every part…"

I could hear mom in the background say "Oh god this can't be about Callie." but I continued on…

"Love, love, love is my crime. So baby come catch me and lets do the time…"

I heard Mariana say "I thought this was for Lou."

 _You guys weren't even together yet when you played at the party…_ I smiled as I carried on… "I think we might be outlaws. I think I might be in love. 'Cause I'm all out of reasons, like seasons, winter, summer, fall they're all washed up. If your still way over there, maybe slide on in by my side. 'Cause I'm just an outlaw, wanted if you want me. I love you everyday and every night… oh whoa… lock me up for good, right here in your arms. You vandalize my neighborhood, with your piercing eyes and devilish charm. Love love love is my crime. So baby come catch me and we will do the time…"

When I was done I looked around the room trying to figure out if they understood but they were eerily quite and I didn't know what to make of it.


End file.
